Friday, December 23, 2016

Hanukkah: Meaning and Traditions - By Elizabeth Richards

It’s
unlikely that you could miss the fact that it’s Christmas season. Everywhere you
turn, there are decorations, songs, advertisements and displays. Even people who
don’t celebrate the holiday probably have at least a basic understanding of
what the holiday is about – particularly the secular celebrations. But this
isn’t always true for other holidays that are also celebrated at this time of
year, like Hanukkah.

Hanukkah, which means
“dedication” in Hebrew, is a Jewish celebration that lasts eight days. It is a
time to commemorate the purification and rededication of the Second Temple in
Jerusalem. Though there seem to be several versions (as with most stories from
long ago) among historians and scholars of the actual events that occurred, the
basic story remains the same. In a time of great oppression, when Judaism was
outlawed under Antiochus IV and the Seleucid monarchy, there was a rebellion
and the Jewish people emerged victorious.

Legend
has it that the temple, desecrated and devastated, was reclaimed in
approximately 165 BCE, and the troops wanted to purify the temple by relighting
the ner tamid (eternal light) to burn constantly in the temple. They discovered
that there was oil enough for just one day, but lit the menorah anyway. A
miracle occurred, with that small bit of oil lasting for eight days, allowing
for time for a messenger to secure more oil.

The holiday begins
on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar, which places the
holiday in late November or December. Because the Hebrew calendar is lunar, the
date is not the same each year.

Hanukkah is not
considered a major holiday in Jewish law, and has no restrictions on working,
school or other activities. Still, because of the holiday’s proximity to the
Christmas season, it has become largely celebrated, particularly in North
America.

Like any holiday,
there are many traditions around Hanukkah, including lighting a menorah,
traditional food and games and gift exchanges.

One
tradition that celebrates the miracle of the oil is the lighting of a special
menorah, known as a hunukkiyah, every night for eight days. The first night
after sundown, one candle is lit, with an additional candle added each night
until there are eight candles burning. A ninth candle, the shamash (helper) is
used to light the others. The ritual often includes the recitation of
blessings, and the menorah is often displayed prominently in a window to commemorate
the miracle.

Traditional
foods consumed on Hanukkah are fried in oil, another reference to the Hanukkah
miracle. Two of the most popular foods are latkes (potato pancakes) and
sufganiyot (jam-filled doughnuts).

Other traditions
include playing a game with dreidels, four sided tops with a Hebrew letter on
each side and chocolate coins. Some Hanukkah celebrations also include gift
exchanges.